With the advent and explosion of the Internet has come a similar explosion in the number of services available over the Internet. In addition to the popular World Wide Web (“WWW” or “Web”), services are available over the Internet that provide instant messaging, chat facilities, e-mail, and other types of services. To access these services, a user must typically utilize several different client application programs. For instance, a user may utilize an instant messaging client to interface with the instant messaging service and, simultaneously, the user may utilize a Web browser application to retrieve Web-based e-mail or other types of Web pages.
While many client computers are capable of simultaneously executing multiple client application programs to communicate with multiple Internet services, it is not always convenient for a user to use the client application programs in this way. For instance, when a user launches the instant messaging client, the user may be required to provide a username and password. The instant messaging client may then perform a sophisticated and time consuming login procedure to gain access to the server computer that provides the instant messaging service. If the user then desires to access a Web site through a Web browser application program, the user has to launch the Web browser application and then provide the address of the desired Web site. When the Web site responds, the user may then have to again provide their username and password. The user may also have to wait while the Web site and the Web browser application program perform another sophisticated and time consuming login procedure. If the user wants to access additional services, the user will again have to provide a username and password and endure a lengthy login procedure to access these services. Providing a username and password for each client application in this manner can be extremely monotonous for a computer user. Moreover, each time a computer user desires to utilize another client application program, the user may have to wait for a login screen before they can provide their username and password. Waiting for several such login screens to appear may also be monotonous for a computer user.
Therefore, in light of the above, there is a need for a method and system for providing access to a computer system that does not require a user to provide login information if the user has previously been provided access to another computer system. Additionally, there is a need for a method and system for providing access to a computer system based upon previously provided access to another computer system that can authenticate a client computer for access without requiring a user of the client computer to endure a lengthy login procedure.